Pia After 'Idol' -- 'Everyone Was Sobbing'

4/8/2011 3:49 PM PDT

Pia Toscano Eliminated -- 'Everyone Was Sobbing'

Pia Toscano and the rest of the "American idol" finalists were a crying mess after the 22-year-old's shocking elimination last night -- sources connected with the show tell TMZ.

"Everyone
was sobbing" after the show, says one of our "Idol" spies. We're told
Pia was probably the most popular contestant among the contestants, and,
"They were totally bummed out she was leaving."

The contestants
-- sans Pia -- showed up for the "Kiss Off Dinner" at a restaurant in L.A. Pia
made her entrance after everyone was seated ... followed by tears, more
tears, and then one of the producers put it in perspective to make it
all better, saying, "The point of 'Idol' is to launch careers. Pia,
you're launched."

We're told Pia didn't check out of the "Idol" hotel last night, but she'll be out of there today.

UPDATE: Apparently, Pia ran out of tears, because earlier today she was seen out in L.A. with a big, fat smile on her face.